World tourism fraternity
meets for World Tourism Conference in UNESCO World Heritage
City, Melaka

Find out how game changers and pace setters have set new directions and impacted global tourism

SPEAKERS

Eminent speakers comprising of tourism
ministers, corporate leaders, tourism experts and top travel
professionals representing the most dynamic "movers and
shakers" of the global tourism industry in recent years will
share their experiences and success stories in this
important conference. Represented across 5 continents, the
esteemed speakers will expound the dynamism of modern
tourism and the changing trends of travel. The conference
will also explore the future of tourism, deliberating on the
impacts and challenges that lies ahead having recorded one
billion travellers in 2012.

PROGRAMME

The Conference programme will comprise of 2 days plenary discussions as well as a 1 day technical tour within the historic city of Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was inscribed in 2008. Delegates are invited to the Welcome Dinner hosted by the Ministry of Tourism
and Culture, Malaysia and a Farewell Dinner hosted by the Melaka State Government. Networking lunches and tea breaks over the 3 days conference will offer delegates the opportunity to rekindle and develop new friendships. Not forgetting spouses and accompanying partners, they get to participate in shopping
trips.

TECHNICAL TOURS

Melaka, located about 150km south of Kuala
Lumpur is a historic city of the Straits of Malacca, which
developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges
between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The
influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the town with a
specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and
intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares
and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of
this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate
and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early
16th century.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, allow me to bid all of you a warm welcome or "Selamat
Datang" to the World Tourism Conference 2013 in Melaka, a
historic city of the Straits of Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage
site inscribed in 2008.

It is indeed a great honour for Malaysia to co-host this world prestigious
Conference for the third time with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The
World Tourism Conference 2013 with the theme "Global Tourism: Game Changers and
Pace Setters" is an excellent opportunity for leaders and stakeholders of the
tourism industry to discuss the latest developments, mega trends and best
practices to mainstream and maximize the potential of tourism.

The tourism
fraternity celebrates the vibrant growth of the tourism sector
with the milestone achievement of surpassing 1 billion
international tourist arrivals in 2012. Based on the UNWTO
Tourism Towards 2030 study, tourist arrivals are projected to
grow at an average of 3.3% per annum to reach 1.8 billion in
2030. Therefore, it is evident that the tourism industry is
poised for growth. In this regard, this Conference is targeted
at tapping the growth of tourism to generate income and
employment in a sustainable manner. At the same time, emphasis
is given to promote responsible tourism which is focused on
optimizing the needs of people, profits and planet.

This year's theme
is aimed at addressing the needs of the public and private
sectors as well as civil societies and academia to search for
"game changers" and to be "pace setters" so that the tourism
industry can achieve greater heights. Toward this end, the
Conference program is designed to provide fresh insights,
innovative ideas and practical lessons that would be useful to
public officials, entrepreneurs, CEOs, senior managers,
academicians, representatives of civil societies and the media.

Join us at the Conference and be
part of this exciting discussion on game changers to shape the
future of tourism. Be among the team of pace setters to
accelerate the growth and development of tourism.

With that, I look forward to your esteemed participation at
the World Tourism Conference 2013 in Melaka.